Elastic connecting device.



C. A. SMITH. ELASTIG CONNECT-ING D BVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH C0..wAs||\NaTON, u4 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT QEETCE.

CYRIL A. SMITH, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 SIDNEY 0. BIGNEY, 0F ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELASTIC CONNECTING DEVICE.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application led June 17, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

serial No. 633,752.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRIL A. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Elastic Connecting Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to garment suspenders or supporters in which elasticity is imparted to the article by the use of metallic springs.

The object of the invention is to provide means to prevent the metallic spring from coming in contact with its guide and also to prevent the spring from becoming dis torted.

Vhen applied to a pair of Suspenders the invention is intended to be applied to the connection between both pairs of suspender ends and the shoulder straps in front and also to the connection between the junction of these shoulder straps and the back suspender ends. Inasmuch as the construc tion is the same so far as relates to the invention in each of the three points of attachmenta description of one answers for all and for that reason it is not deemed necessary to show the full pair of suspenders.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claim at the close of the specification.

In the drawings,-I `igure 1 is a portion ot' a suspender illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly broken away, of a portion of a suspender to show more clearly the construction of the tension device. F ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the spring contracted. Fig. 4; is a detail view of one of the beads or bushings.

Referring now to the drawings,-1 repre- Sents a portion of the shoulder strap having a loop portion 2, provided with a buckle 3 which may be of ordinary construction. The suspender ends 4t are connected in the usual way with a metallic loop 5 which is connected with a metallic loop 6 through which passes a strap 7 which is connected with the strap loop 2 by mechanism embodying my invention which is now to be described.

A wire is bent to form a body portion which is substantially U -shaped with straight parallel sides 8 and to form lateral projecting portions 9 at the upper end, the ends being then turned toward each other to form a substantially straight horizontal cross portion 10 at the top by bringing the ends of the wire together and forming a loop 11 through which passes the suspender loop 2. For convenience of distinguishing between the two ends of the body portion, the cross portion 10 may be designated as the head and the opposite end of the body may be termed the foot. A spring 12 is coiled. around the U-shaped portion of the wire extending up on both legs 8, A slidable cross bar 13 is formed with apertures through which the legs 8 pass, said legs being passed through the said apertures before the wire is bent to form the loop 11. Said cross bar 13 is preferably inclosed in a box or case 14; which is open on the under side and which is also formed with apertures through which the wire legs 8 pass. The box and cross bar may be all one piece. The ends of the strap loop 7 are connected with the box 141 by any suitable means, preferably by introducing the ends of the strap into the open bottom of the box 14 and securing the ends of said strap to said box by pins or rivets 'l5 which pass through the sides of the box and the strap. It is obvious that if while the shoulder strap is held fast draft is 'made on the suspender end l the strap loop 7 will be drawn down thus drawing down the box 14 and cross bar 13 and compressing the spring 12.

It is found in practice that if the coil spring 12 is allowed to touch the guide the repeated contraction and expansion of the spring will chafe the guide and not only wear away both the guide and the spring but it will also after a time tend to produce a grating sound by the chafing action, which renders it impractical for commercial use. ln order to prevent contact between the spring and the wire legs or guides 8, I provide a series of beads 17 strung upon the wire at intervals apart which are of sutlicient exterior diameter to fit snugly within the coil of the spring and to remain fast in their connection with the spring and maintain their constant position with relation to the spring. These beads serve as washers or bushings to prevent contact between the legs or guides 8 and the spring and also prevent distortion of the spring.

When the spring is contracted as shown in Fig. 3 the spaces between the beads will be shortened and if the spring is contracted sufliciently the beads will be all brought into continuous contact with each other. When they do so contact with each other they will form a stop which will prevent further contraction of the spring. When the spring expands again the beads will be carried by the spring apart from each other as they were before the spring was contracted. These beads may be made of any suitable material, preferably of wood or fiber or some other material which when the spring is coiled tightly about them will have sulicient binding engagement with the spring so that the beads will not slip with relation to the spring during the expansion and contraction of the spring. Preferably beads 18 are provided at the ends of the spring of a larger diameter than the other beads 17, and large enough to be seated upon the ends of the spring and to rest against the cross bar 13 so as to form a seat for the ends of the spring and prevent the ends of the spring tion, a plurality of` beads strung upon the legs of said U-shaped portion at intervals apart from each other withinl the coiled spring, a slidable cross member seated upon the ends of said spring and through which the legs of the U-shaped portion extend, said slidable cross member being connected with o-ne of said strap members, the said crosshead portion being connected with the other of said strap members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CYRIL A. sMITI-I.

Witnesses WILLIAM A. CorELAND, ALICE H. MORRISON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

